RNAseq of Staphylococcus aureus wildtype and ppGpp0 mutant reveals rolen of alarmon (p)ppGpp confering tolerance to oxidative stress and antibiotics during the stationary phase in Staphylococcus aureus

RNAseq of coding RNA in Staphylococcus aureus wildtype and ppGpp0 mutant shows transcription of the Fe-storage ferritin (ftnA) and miniferritin (dps) was elevated in the ppGpp0 mutant, while Fur-regulated iron transporters for uptake of heme or siderophores were repressed, including the isdABCDEFG, sirABC and sstADBCD-operons. Together these results indicate that (p)ppGpp confers tolerance to ROS and antibiotics during the stationary phase by down-regulation of internal iron levels to prevent ROS formation.